Ordinary Ingredients, Extraordinary Food

Are you in need of a last minute recipe to bring to a thanksgiving potluck? Are you looking for a recipe that spices things up without taking you so far from those learned thanksgiving flavors? Do you just like to read what I type and hear my voice in your head? Then this is the post for you.

So I know we all have a special fondness for the can-shaped blob of cranberry sauce that we crack open and slop into a bowl just before you sit down because you almost forgot about it. Believe me, I get it – I still make stuffing from a box after the teachings of my grandfather. But did you know that fresh cranberry sauce is literally the easiest thing on earth to make? Everything you need to make it sauce is already in the cranberries, so there’s no need for corn starch or other thickeners; just cranberries, sugar, and water. Done. But of course with something this simple, I can’t resist the opportunity to jazz it up just a touch. My secret ingredient? Ginger. Combined with a splash of red wine and fresh orange juice, and will surely put that old jelled can to shame.

A fair warning, you may think this recipe calls for a lot of sugar – not at all. The tartness of cranberries cannot be overstated. Be sure to taste once it’s cooked. Also, I like to puree my sauce as some of the fibers that don’t break down from the cranberries can be a bit unpleasant to eat. Pureeing gets rid of this problem, but if you’re down for chunky rustic sauce, skip the puree and leave it just like the photo.

By the way, remember the post I did on ginger syrup? This would be an excellent opportunity to use it!